Rangers at mid-season

See, this is why I love the Rangers. They do a lot, if not almost all, of my work for me.

Just got this from the NYR, bless their hearts:

2010-11 NEW YORK RANGERS MID-SEASON RECAP

New York, January 6, 2011 – The Rangers will begin the second half of their 2010-11 regular season tomorrow, January 7, when they face-off against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center. New York currently ranks third in the Atlantic Division standings, and seventh in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 23-15-3 for 49 points through 41 games. Compared to last season, the Rangers have registered four more wins and six more points (19-17-5, 43 points in 2009-10), having tallied 13 more goals (121 this season, 108 last season) while allowing 11 fewer goals against (104 this season, 115 last season). New York has also shown a four-goal improvement while shorthanded compared to 2009-10 (eight this season, four last season).

Recapping the First Half:

• The New York Rangers began their 85th anniversary season with a 6-3 victory against the Buffalo Sabres at HSBC Arena in Buffalo on October 9, marking the third consecutive season the Blueshirts opened their regular season campaign on the road. The six goals were the most by the Rangers in their season opener since their 6-2 win vs. New Jersey in the 1983-84 season opener on October 5, 1983. Six players made their Ranger debuts in the season opener, including Martin Biron, Derek Boogaard, Steve Eminger, Ruslan Fedotenko, Alex Frolov, and Derek Stepan. Rookie Derek Stepan notched three goals while making his NHL debut in the season opener to become the first Ranger in franchise history to record a hat trick in his NHL debut, and just the fourth player in NHL history to register a hat trick in their NHL debut.

• According to opening day rosters, the Rangers began the 2010-11 season with the ninth youngest team in the NHL with an average age of 27 years and 44 days and the second youngest defensive corp in the league, trailing only Los Angeles with an average age of 25 years and 51 days. The Blueshirt’s average age is currently 26 years and 329 days.

• The Rangers lead the league in shorthanded goals (eight) and road wins (13), are tied for seventh in wins (23), and rank ninth in points (49) and goals (121), and seventh with a plus-17 goal differential.

• New York has posted a record of 8-4-0 vs. Atlantic Division opponents, compared to a 3-7-1 mark vs. division opponents at this point last season.

• New York is currently eight games over .500 with a 23-15-3 record. New York was never more than six games over .500 last season, having last been at least eight games over on April 12, 2009 (43-30-9).

• The Rangers currently lead the NHL with 1,179 hits and rank second with 651 blocked shots.

• The Rangers have had 15 different players credited with at least one game-winning goal this season, which is the most in the NHL.

• The Rangers unveiled their Heritage jersey, which celebrates the team’s 85th anniversary, on November 12, and celebrated Heritage Night on November 17 vs. Boston by wearing the new jersey for the first time.

• The Blueshirts have tallied the first goal of the game in 23 of their 41 games, posting a record of 17-5-1 in those contests, and own a record of 10-1-1 when leading after the first period.

• The Rangers lead the league with 13 victories on the road, having posted a record of 13-7-1 in 21 games away from MSG this season.

• New York ranks second in the NHL with 11 points when trailing after two periods, having registered a 4-9-3 mark in those games.

• The Blueshirts are 9-1-0 (4-0-0 at home, 5-1-0 on the road) in the second game, having out-scored their opponent, 31-12, in those games. Over the last two seasons, New York is 18-3-2 in the back-end of back-to-back sets, including a 8-1-1 mark at MSG and 10-2-1 on the road over the span.

• The Rangers and Knicks played at the current Madison Square Garden on the same day 37 times, including three times this season – November 7 (NYR vs. STL, NYK vs. PHI), November 14 (NYR vs. EDM, NYK vs. HOU) and December 12 (NYR vs. WSH, NYK vs. DEN). The Rangers have posted a record of 16-15-6 (2-1-0 in 2010-11) in those games, while the Knicks are 22-15 (1-2 in 2010-11). Both the Rangers (7-0) and Knicks (129-125) won their game on December 12, marking the first time since November 26, 2005, that both teams won on the same day at Madison Square Garden. On that day, the Rangers defeated the Capitals, 3-2, following an NHL record 15-round shootout, while the Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 105-102, in overtime earlier in the day.

• The Rangers registered their 20th win of the season with a 4-3 shootout win on December 16 vs. Phoenix, reaching the mark in just 34 games which is tied for 12th fastest in franchise history. Last season, New York posted their 20th win in their 42nd game.

• New York won back-to-back games on December 15 at Pittsburgh (4-1) and December 16 vs. Phoenix (4-3, SO), despite trailing by a goal entering the third period in both games. The last time the Rangers won consecutive games when trailing after two periods was during the 2008-09 season, on November 15 vs. Boston (3-2) and November 17 vs. Ottawa (2-1). Both games required the shootout.

• On December 23, the Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning participated in a shootout that lasted 11 rounds, which is tied for the sixth longest in NHL history and longest since March 27, 2010 (Detroit defeated Nashville in 11 rounds). The 11-round shootout is the third longest in Rangers history behind their NHL record 15-round shootout on November 26, 2005 vs. Washington (3-2, 4-3 in the shootout) and a 13-round shootout at Philadelphia on October 7, 2006 (5-4, 1-0 in the shootout), which stands as the longest one-goal shootout in NHL history. Henrik Lundqvist was in net for all three contests, posting a 2-1 record and stopping a combined 34 of 39 shots for a .872 save percentage.

• The Blueshirts were credited with a season-high, 52 shots in their 7-2 win vs. the Islanders on December 27, their most since they registered 57 shots vs. the Islanders on March 5, 2007 (2-1 win). The Rangers tied their season-high for most shots in a period with 18 in each of the first two periods, and their 36 shots through two periods is the most since recording 37 shots through two vs. Washington on October 12, 2007 (20 in the first, 17 in the second in a 3-1 win). The Blueshirts’ 32-shot advantage over the Islanders (52-20) is tied for the second largest in the NHL this season, behind St. Louis’ 39-shot advantage over Anaheim on October 11 (53-14).

• The Rangers have tallied one penalty shot goal on two attempts this season. Ryan Callahan notched a penalty shot goal on October 30 at Toronto, his first career penalty shot goal in two attempts, and the first by a Ranger since Sean Avery converted his attempt vs. Tampa Bay on February 14, 2010.

• The Rangers have posted three hat tricks this season, which is tied for third most in the NHL. The three hat tricks are the most by New York in a single season since the team recorded four hat tricks in 2005-06. Marian Gaborik has registered two of the Rangers’ three hat tricks this season, on November 14 vs. Edmonton and December 2 at Long Island. The last time a Ranger posted two or more hat tricks in a single season was during the 2005-06 season, when Jaromir Jagr tallied three hat tricks.

• Henrik Lundqvist is currently tied for the NHL lead with five shutouts, giving him 29 regular season shutouts and 32 total shutouts (three playoff shutouts) in six NHL seasons. He passed Mike Richter, Chuck Rayner and Lorne Worsley for fourth on the Rangers’ all-time regular season shutouts list with his first shutout of the season, a 36-save performance at Toronto on October 30. Lundqvist is one shutout shy of tying John Ross Roach for third on the Rangers’ all-time regular season shutouts list, and Mike Richter for fourth on the team’s all-time total shutouts list.

• Rangers Head Coach John Tortorella recorded his 300th career NHL victory to become the 40th head coach in league history to reach the mark with a 5-2 win at Minnesota on November 20. Tortorella has posted a record of 312-280-37-54 in 683 regular season games over 11 seasons with the Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning, and currently ranks 13th among active NHL head coaches on the NHL’s all-time wins list and first among U.S.-born coaches with 312 career victories.

• Brandon Prust established new career-highs in assists (10) and points (15) with an assist in a 3-1 win at New Jersey on December 29. He also tallied a shorthanded goal on December 16 vs. Phoenix to tie his career-high with five goals on the season. Prust is currently tied for the NHL lead with three shorthanded goals and five shorthanded points.

• Brian Boyle has established career-highs with 14 goals, eight assists and 22 points through 41 games, eclipsing his previous career-highs for goals by 10, assists by six and points by 16.

• Dan Girardi reached two significant career milestones in the first half of the season, skating in his 300th career NHL game on November 19 at Colorado and registering his 100th career point with an assist at Tampa Bay on January 1. Girardi is currently tied for 25th among NHL defensemen with 20 points, and ranks 17th among league defensemen and second on the Rangers with 17 assists.

• Brandon Dubinsky leads the team with 16 goals, 18 assists, 34 points, four power play goals, nine power play points, and 106 shots on goal. He is currently tied for 16th in the NHL in goals.

• Sean Avery made his 500th NHL appearance on November 1 vs. Chicago, and registered his 100th point as a Ranger with two assists vs. Toronto in the home opener on October 15. New York is 113-71-30 in 214 games with him in the lineup since originally being acquired on February 5, 2007.

• Ruslan Fedotenko skated in his 700th NHL game on November 24 at Tampa Bay.

• Rookie Derek Stepan is currently tied for third among NHL rookies in scoring with 23 points and 11 goals, and sixth with 12 assists. Michael Sauer is also tied for first in the league among rookies and leads the Rangers with a plus-11 rating overall.

Rick Carpiniello, 26, was born and raised in Harrison and began working in The Journal News' sports department (back when it was The Reporter Dispatch and eight other newspapers) in October of 1977 after a year of covering high school sports as a stringer. In 1978 he began covering the New York Rangers and the National Hockey League. Carpiniello has been writing columns on everything from local sports to the big leagues since 2002.